I found an interesting walking stick combat video from Amo Guro Michael Blackgrave of SEAMOK (You can visit him on the blogroll.).

Note that he is using a solid hickory stick, and the knob puts this weapon in the category of clubs, not sticks. Also note that a blunt weapon does not have to be perfectly cylindrical, as many FMA are used to practicing with.

Amo Guro Blackgrave demonstrates defenses at all ranges, from long distance to contact/grappling range, to devastating effect. So do not kid yourself into thinking the long stick is only a long-range weapon. Nor would I advise trying to get inside on Amo Guro Blackgrave.

You should also observe how one-handed techniques are the exception, not the rule. Amo Guro Blackgrave understands that the long stick is in essence a two-handed weapon.

Simplicity, coupled with powerful directness, is a hallmark of the video. A novice who started with the hickory “brain duster” and who learned the lessons on this short video would be far better off than studying many of the overly-complicated and fanciful short stick styles. By the way, I have to love it when an American can use “bagsak” conversationally.

I’m really pleased to get to know the SEAMOK crew. I must admit that I was put off by their logo, with the vivid tattoo skull, but at its core the group strikes me as rock solid. Visit them on my links. By the way, SEAMOK is an acronym for Simple, Effective, Aggressive, Methods Of Kombate. We are on the same page.

I’d like to share with you a snippet of their knife thinking, from Amo Guro Michael Blackgrave:

“A lot of systems teach to go up the middle and get into the gut of the situation. I teach the opposite…I try to avoid a center-line engagement preferring to cut and flank..off angle and slash….De’Cadena (chaining) with slashes and a few pops to vital areas. This not only keeps me from getting caught up in an inside game tussle where I can and probably will receive serious injury, it also keeps me in play with freedom of vision and movement to scope for potential multiple opponents. It is much easier to engage when the freedom of movement isn’t impinged by being confined to tight quarters (the inside). This also allows me to slash and pop and get the hell out of Dodge!” Amo Guro Michael Blackgrave

I can’t tell you how many styles are hell bent to get right inside the opponent, eyebrow to eyebrow, and duke it out. They are oh-so-confident that they can wade right into the teeth of an opponent’s attack–with a knife!– and emerge unscathed. Reason cannot penetrate these people, because they are so convinced of their ability to trade shot for shot (of course, in their telling of it, they will completely dominate the opponent so that not even a single shot will land).

Let us just say for the sake of argument that I can go inside an opponent, chest to chest, and totally control him, so that he cannot knee me, elbow me, bite me, headbutt me, grapple me, spit on me, or kick me, all at contact range. What about his homies behind me?

Amo Guro Blackgrave’s strategy (and mine) is the logical strategy:

Don’t go inside.

Don’t trade shots.

Given any sort of choice, hit and run.

Hit and zone to the outside, while looking for his gangbanger buddies.

If you don’t think he’ll be deterred by the sight of a knife, don’t let him see your knife until it’s too late.